Propelling device



Jan. 21, 1930. v OLSEN 1,744,568

PROPELLING DEVI GE Filed Dec. 19, 1927 IN VEN TOR jawrence Olsew A TORNE Patented Jan. 21, 1930 PATENT OFFICE LAWRENCE OLSEN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA PROPELLING DEVICE Application filed December 19, 1927. Serial No, 241,083.

This invention relates to improvements in propelling devices for aeroplanes and other moving bodies.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a propelling device of novel, simple and eflicient construction, located forwardly of the air plane or other body which it is constructed to ,propel, and provided with means for not only, driving air rearwardly to cause the forward movement of the body but also driving the said air outwardly from the path of the forwardly moving body to thereby enhance the ropelling effect of the device. A further ob ect of the invention is to utilize the outwardly driven air by causing it to impinge against a part or parts which is related to the moving body so that the impingement of the outwardly moving air against such part or parts will exert forward pressure against the body and thereby further enhance the propelling effect of the device.

With the foregoing and related obJects i view, the invention resides in the elements and the combinations of them hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention,

igure 1 is a side view of an aeroplane provided with a propelling device embodying my invention, the propelling device being shown partly in section.

Figure 2 1s a front view of the aeroplane and the propelling device thereon Figure 3 is a front view of the rotatable propeller.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section, on line H of Fig. 2 showing the annulus which surrounds the propeller, and parts of two of its supporting arms or braces.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 are horizontal sections through the rotatable pro eller, on lines 55, tl-6 and 77, respective y, of Fig.

Referring to the drawings, 2 designates the body of an aeroplane and 3 and 8 the wings thereof,

The forward end portion of the body 2 is constructed to contain or support a motor for driving the usual propeller shaft 9..

The construction and operation of the parts thus far referred to are common and well known and no detailed description or illustration thereof is deemed necessary herein.

l/Vhen herein I speak of forwardly I mean the direction of the direct forward travel of the body 2, as indicated in the drawings by the arrows 10; and when herein I speak of rearwardly I mean the reverse of the direction indicated by thearrows 10.

Surrounding the propeller shaft 9 forwardly of the body 2 is a ring or annulus 11 which ma be formed of any suitable material, pre 'erably of sheet metal for lightness and durability; This ring or annulus is supported by brace bars 12 which diverge forwardly from the body 2 and have their forward end portions secured to the annulus 11 and their rearward end portions secured to the body 2. The annulus 11 is also held firmly or steadied in the position shown by suitable guy wires 13 which extend between and have their end portions secured to the annulus 11 and the body 2, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The forwardly projecting end'portion of the shaft 9 carries a propeller 14 which is socured thereon, and the innermost art 150i the annulus surrounds the prope ler 14 in annular form. The annulus 11 has a forward, inner surface 16 which is flared forwardly and outwardly from the part 15, and the annulus 11 has a rearward, inner surface 17 which is flared rearwardly and outwardly from the part 15, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 4, for purposes presently appearing.

The propeller 14 comprises a hub portion 18, main blades 19 and supplemental blades 20. The main blades 19 extend radially from the hub 18 on strai ht or substantially straight center lines an they are set at angles to provide rearwardly exposed surfaces to so drive air rearwardly through the annulus 11 and in the direction of the axis of rotation of the propeller 14 when it is rotated in the direction of the arrow 21 in Figs. 2 and 3. These blades 19 act to drive the air rearwardly to effect the forward movement of the body 2 when the aeroplane is in flight in ac-- cordance with the usual practice in aeroplane propellers, excepting that in the present instance the air isdriven through the annulus 11. The supplemental blades 20 correspond in number with the main blades 19, and they are made curved as illustrated, and they extend fixedly from the hub 18 and have their outer end portions of the main blades 19 for strength and firmness of construction. The supplemental blades 20 recede in opposition to'the direction of rotation of the propeller as the blades extend outwardly, so that their outer surfaces 22 will drive the air passing through the annulus 11 outwardly from the axis of rotation of the propeller 14 and away from the path of the forwardly moving body 2 and cause much of the outwardly driven air to impinge against the rearwardly and outwardly flared surface 17 of the annulus 11.

It will now be understood that the driving of the air outwardly from the path of the body 7 will enhance the propelling effect of the propeller and accelerate the speed of the aeroplane and that the impingement of the outwardly driven air against the flared surface 17 will exert a forward pressure against the annulus 11 and thereby still further accelerate the speed of the aeroplane.

In addition to constructing the supplemental blades 20 so that their outer surfaces 22 will recede in opposition to the direction of rotation of the propeller, for the purpose previously described, I construct the blades 20 so that their outer surfaces 22 will follow angles which are directed rearwardly and which gradually lessen from the hub 18 toward the outer end portions of the blades 20, thereby causing the blades 20 to exert a forward ull upon the aeroplane in addition to their unction of driving the. air outwardly against the surface 17 of the annulus 11. The angles of the surfaces 22 of the blades 20 are greatest near the hub 18 and they grow less outwardly from the hub until the surfaces 22 are substantially parallel with the axis of rotation of the propeller at the outer ends of the blades 20, causing the outer end portions of the blades to be the most effective parts thereof for driving the air against the surface 17 of the annulus 11.

It will be observed that the main blades 19 of the propeller rotate squarely within the part 15 which forms the union between the two flared surfaces 16 and 17 of the annulus 11, and that the supplemental blades 20 are set so that they come within the part 15 and project to some extent rearwardly of the path of the blades 19 and well within the forward portion of the rearwardly and outwardly flared surface 17 of the annulus. These are the most effective positions of the blades 19 and 20 with respect to each other and to the annulus 11for the accomplishment of the purposes intended as hereinbefore explained.

As the propeller 14 draws the air into and drives it rearwardly through the annulus 11, the propeller draws the air inwardly across the forwardly and outwardly flared surface 16 of the annulus and thereby tends to create a vacuum in advance thereof, thereby reducing the air resistance to the forward movement of the annulus.

The annulus 11 is provided with suitably spaced vanes 23 which project inwardly from the rearwardly and outwardly flared surface 17, as shown in the drawings. The air which is driven outwardly by the propeller blades 20 strikes against these vanes 23 in opposition to the direction of rotation of the propeller and thereby neutralizes or lessens the tendency of the power which rotates the propeller to rotate or turn the body 2 in the reverse direction. These vanes 23 are set at such angles or inclinations with respect to the axis of the annulus 11 that the surfaces thereof against which the outwardly driven air strikes will be directed rearwardly for causing the air striking the same to be deflected thereby in a manner to cause a forward pressure against the vanes 23 and annulus 11.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination of a movable body, a propeller mounted to rotate forwardly of the body, and an annulus supported forwardly of the body and having a part surrounding the propeller and being flared rearwardly and outwardly from said part and having an annular series of vanes projecting inwardly from the flared portion thereof, said propeller being constructed'to drive air rearwardly through the annulus and outwardly against the flared portion thereof and the vanes projecting therefrom.

2. The combination of a movable body, a propeller mounted to rotate forwardly of the body, and an annulus supported forwardly of the body and having a part surrounding the propeller and being flared forwardly and outwardly from said part and being flared rearwardly and outwardly from said part, said propeller having means to drive air rearwardly through the annulus and having additional means to drive said air outwardly against the rearwardly flared portion of the annulus.

3. The combination of a movable body, a propeller mounted to rotate forwardly of the body, and an annulus supported forwardly of the body and having a part surrounding the propeller and being flared rearwardly and outwardly from said part, said propeller having blades constructed to drive air rearwardly through the annulus and having supplemental blades connected thereto and rotatable therewith and constructed to drive saidair outwardly against the flared portion of the annulus.

4. The combination of a movable body, a propeller mounted to rotate forwardly of the body, and annulus supported forwardly of the body and having a part surrounding the propeller and being flared rearwardly and outwardly from said part, said propeller having a hub and blades extending radially therefrom on substantially straight center lines and having rearwardly exposed surfaces set at angles to drive air rearwardly through the annulus, and said propeller having supplemental curved blades extending fixedly from the hub thereof, each curved blade having an air engaging surface which recedes opposite to the direction of rotation of the propeller for driving the said air outwardly against the flared portion of the annulus.

5. A propeller comprising a hub, blades extending radially therefrom on substantially straight center lines and having rearwardly exposed surfaces set at angles to drive air rearwardly in the direction of the axis of rotation of the propeller, and supplemental curved blades extending fixedly from the hub,

each curved blade having a curved air engaging surface which recedes opposite to the direction of rotation of the propeller for drivthe said air outwardly from the axis of rotation of the propeller.

6. A propeller comprising a hub, bladesextending radially therefrom on substantially straight center lines and having rearwardly exposed surfaces set at angles'to drive air rearwardly in the direction of the axis of rotation of the propeller, and supplemental curved blades extending fixedly from the hub,

each curved blade having a rearwardly exposed curved air engaging surface which recedes opposite to the direction of rotation of the propeller, said curved surface following angles which cause it to drive air rearwardly and outwardly from said axis when'the propeller is rotated.

7. A propeller comprising a hub, blades extending radially therefrom on substantially,

straight center lines and having rearwardly exposed surfaces set at angles to drive air rearwardly in the direction of the axis of 'rotation of the propeller, andsupplementalcurved blades extending from the hub and having their outer end portions connected to the outer end portions of the first named blades, each curved blade having a curved air engaging surface which recedes opposite to the direction of rotation of the propeller for driving the said air outwardly from the axis of rotation of the propeller.

8. A propeller comprising a hub, blades extending radially therefrom on substantially straight center lines and having rearwardly exposed surfaces set at angles to drive air opposite to the direction of rotation of the propeller for driving the said air outwardly from the axis of rotation of the propeller.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

LAWRENCE OLSEN. 

